Mitchell Robinson was supposed to have his first big moment as a Boston Celtic on Tuesday. The former New York Knicks center had been scheduled to stand alongside Paul George and Mike Conley as the Celtics officially introduced their offseason additions. Instead, the 28-year-old was suddenly absent, leaving reporters and fans wondering what had happened.
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Celtics president Brad Stevens offered a brief explanation. “He unfortunately had to leave this morning…to attend to a personal matter.” Boston later confirmed that Robinson would be formally introduced at a later date. The latest addition had already been working out with the Celtics and had taken part in informal sessions with his new teammates in recent weeks. Now, Robinson himself provided a glimpse into the situation.
The veteran center posted on Facebook Tuesday morning, asking for prayers for his younger brother. “Prayers for my little brother ✝️ my dawg can’t catch a break 🫤.”
Celtics beat writer Bobby Krivitsky reported that Robinson’s brother, Zeek, had been hit by a car while out for a jog. Mitchell Robinson’s post and Krivitsky’s report connected the personal matter to a new accident involving his youngest brother. No further public medical update on Zeek’s condition was immediately available in the reports following the incident.
This unfortunate news comes at a time when Mitchell Robinson had been preparing for a fresh start in Boston. After eight seasons with New York, he agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Celtics this summer.
He arrived in Beantown after helping the Knicks win the championship and is expected to provide rim protection, rebounding and a physical presence in Joe Mazzulla’s frontcourt.
Even the 28-year-old was confident about his abilities and excited for his new stint.
“I went to the gym… working out with my coach in Boston. You know what he said? He didn’t know that I had the s–t that I showed tonight,” Robinson said on his Snapchat. “The ball handling, the shooting, the touch. Right now, I’m just so confident in myself. I don’t worry about what no one said.”
He even said that it was “going to be a great year for me.” For now, basketball can wait. Zeek’s news carries an especially painful connection for Robinson.
Earlier this year, his family dealt with another serious car accident involving his younger brother. Robinson revealed in July that he learned about the crash after returning to New York following the Knicks’ Eastern Conference Finals victory.
He previously described himself as extremely protective of his siblings. As the eldest, he said he felt helpless while being hundreds of miles away from his family.
“I began returning calls and texts, and when I FaceTimed my brother, I thought he was deceased,” Mitchell Robinson wrote on Facebook. “He was wearing a neck brace, unresponsive, and not speaking. I broke down in tears, feeling like a failure for not being able to protect my siblings. Being 910 miles away, I felt helpless.
“In a moment of frustration, I banged my hand on my truck…I would like to address the concerns regarding my finger, which was actually my knuckle.”
Mitchell Robinson eventually revealed that the emotional shock contributed to the hand injury that nearly kept him out of the NBA Finals.
In a moment of frustration, he struck his truck and fractured the fifth metacarpal in his right hand. He underwent surgery but still played through the injury as the Knicks captured their first championship since 1973.
That incident showed how deeply his family situation affected him during an already demanding postseason. Now, only months later, Robinson is facing another frightening development involving the same brother.
Mitchell Robinson’s introduction to Boston will come another day. The Celtics have not announced a new date for the introductory press conference. Because his immediate focus is on his family, his brother’s condition remains the priority following the latest accident.